Search turns up counterfeit bills

Authorities said they discovered a money counterfeiting operation in an apartment on Pacific Avenue after serving a search warrant Wednesday evening.

Sheriff's Deputy Richard Griffin was driving north on A Street when he spotted what appeared to be a drug deal happening from the back window of an apartment at 1033 Pacific Ave., said sheriff's Commander Tim Athey.

Griffin had already been monitoring the residents of the apartment in hopes of securing a search warrant, Athey said.

"When he saw what occurred it expedited everything," said Athey.

A search warrant was then secured for the apartment and another one on the 800 block of Pacific Avenue.

When authorities combed through the 1033 Pacific Ave. apartment they found a small amount of methamphetamine, cash and evidence of drug sales through texts, they said.

"They also found counterfeiting supplies and they found counterfeit $50 and $100 bills that were made from $1 bills," said Athey.

One of the residents, who was eventually arrested, was working at the Crescent City Jack In The Box restaurant, and a counterfeit bill was found there during a follow-up investigation, Athey said.

It is suspected the restaurant may have unwittingly been used to help launder the counterfeit money, Athey said.

"A lot of those places are owned by out-of-town owners, so the banking is not done locally," said Athey.

Now that the owners are aware of the counterfeiting, it will make it easier to find out how many counterfeit bills were passed, Athey said.

Lisa R. Hulford, 42, who was the Jack In The Box employee,and Drew A. Roberts, 49, were arrested on suspicion of maintaining a residence for drug use, possessing equipment to counterfeit, forgery, possessing a controlled substance and possessing paraphernalia.